Thunder Rolls
by Amycat8733
Summary: In the wake of the changes left by a rogue lightning bolt, an experiment gone awry is just the beginning of even more problems on the eve of John and Teyla's wedding. Sequel to Lightning Strikes. Warnings: sentient Atlantis, J/T, whump, possible spoilers for anything. Rated for language and adult situations.
1. Prequel

**AN**: Hi everyone! As promised, this is the sequel to **Lightning Strikes**. Thanks goes out to **nacimynom** and **Mysra** for beta on this. Thanks to all of you for deciding to join me on this ride. Enjoy!

**AN2**: For those of you keeping score, this is the direct sequel to **Lightning Strikes**. **Forget Me Not** falls between the two and can be considered an interlude.

* * *

PREQUEL

Colonel John Sheppard dreaded staff meetings, especially when Woolsey received a new packet from the IOA. He had actually been looking forward to this one, though, because he and Teyla were finally going to announce the date for their wedding. The betting pools gained momentum when they started dating and the action picked up after they moved in together. He checked his watch and groaned inwardly when he saw the time. The meeting should have been over an hour ago, which meant that Lorne had taken his place in running the new arrivals through Pegasus 101.

All of the department heads had already delivered their reports. The problem was one of the new scientists, Dr. Carl Dieter, who had arrived three weeks ago. He was a specialist in dead languages, but also had a degree in information security systems. Currently, he was expounding on the virtues of using biometric scanners to replace passwords.

Finally, John decided enough was enough. He cleared his throat and sat up straight. "Excuse me, Dr. Dieter, but biometric scanners are a security risk here. Replicators can make a perfect copy of a person and a Wraith would just rip your hand off and use it. Plus, biometric scanners can be beaten with a set of fingerprints, a sheet of heavy plastic, an Exacto knife and gelatin."

The young man's face turned red and he opened his mouth to reply when Rodney cut him off.

"Don't even start trying to impugn his credentials, you'll only embarrass yourself."

John picked up the thread. "We use passwords because they can be changed or locked out easily. It's kind of hard to change your palm print or retina patterns. Now, as Military Commander of this city and the person in charge of its security, I suggest that you read through the reports on the Wraith and on replicators, especially those from the SGC, and revise your suggestions." John narrowed his eyes at Dieter. "At that time, you are welcome to submit them to me and I will then decide if they should be presented to the rest of the staff."

Woolsey cleared his throat. "Thank you, Dr. Dieter, for your suggestions. When you have revised them we would be glad to consider them."

Fuming with embarrassment, Dieter gathered his laptop and notes and stormed out the door.

Woolsey glanced around the room at his nearly comatose staff. "Well, unless there is any other business then this meeting is concluded."

John stood and Teyla rose with him. "Actually, there is."

Woolsey nodded. "Alright Colonel, go ahead."

"Teyla and I have finally set the date for our wedding. It will be in four months on May First."

The room erupted as everyone gathered to tender their congratulations to the couple.

After everyone separated, Radek asked one of the important questions. "What kind of ceremony have you decided on?"

John glanced down at Teyla. Their eyes met for a moment then Teyla nodded before answering. "We have decided to have an Earth-style civil ceremony and incorporate portions of the traditional Athosian Unity ceremony into it.

Woolsey looked around. "Anything else?"

John reached into his pants pocket and pulled out a flash drive. "Yeah, please send this to the SGC with the next batch of reports."

Woolsey cocked his head slightly in question as he took the drive.

"It's part of our guest list and some things we'll need for the wedding."

Woolsey nodded. "Ah, yes. Will there be many coming from Earth?"

John raised a hand and wiggled it back and forth. "Eh, only twelve if they all decide to attend." He waved at the drive in Woolsey's hand. "It's all on there." With that, John placed a hand on Teyla's back, guiding her from the room, Rodney right behind them. Ronon fell in from his position outside the conference room where he'd been waiting for the last hour. John glanced over his shoulder at the other two men. "I know I don't have to ask if the two of you are hungry, and I know Teyla and I are, so let's get some lunch."

Ronon nodded. "Sounds good."

* * *

In his office, Woolsey loaded the contents of the flash drive into his computer. He looked over the list, noticing most of the names were not unexpected. A couple were surprising, but he noticed one that, in his opinion, should have been there but wasn't. He typed a quick memo to General O'Neill about the missing person and planted the suggestion. It would now be up to the General if that person got an invite or not.

* * *

Still fuming late that evening as he paced along one of Atlantis' lower corridors, Carl Dieter was stopped by a bulky figure stepping from the shadows.

"Excuse me." Dieter spat out as he shifted to go around the other person.

A hand snaked out, halting his progress. "Hey, doc, I was looking for you. Name's Brody, and I think we can help each other with a mutual goal."

"Oh, and what goal would you and I have in common, hmmm?" Dieter sneered.

"Getting Colonel Sheppard to pay for his crimes."

Shocked at the other man's bluntness, Dieter was speechless for a moment. "How do you know I won't try for brownie points and report you?"

Brody chuckled. "Because, after this morning, I'm sure you'd like to see the guy taken down a few pegs."

Dieter was on guard. "How do you know about this morning?"

"One of my bunkmates talked about your tests with the palm readers, plus I looked up the agenda for this morning's meeting. The notes are usually confidential, but the event calendar isn't." Brody looked around the area as if expecting the Colonel or one of the majors to pop out in surprise. "After that, I traded for guard duty in the Gate Room and made sure I stood where I could see the doors. The expression on your face told me all I needed to know and here we are."

Dieter put his hand to his chin in thought. "Very well, let's go somewhere and talk."

Brody slapped Dieter on the back so hard the slight linguist almost fell. "I like you doc. With my plan and your smarts, we can pull this off."


	2. Same Stuff, Different Day

AN: Welcome back! Thanks to all of you for the reviews, favorites and follows. My plot kitty loves them almost as much as he loves treats. They make him happy and when he's happy he gives me good stuff to write. Thanks to **Nacinom** and **Mysra** for beta on this!

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Chapter 1 – Same Stuff, Different Day

_AN: This chapter contains references to "Dog Days" by kashkow._

Generally, John liked finding new devices left behind by the Ancients. What he didn't like was that the finding wasn't always in his best interest. He had lost count of the times that a piece of innocuous looking Ancient technology had bit him in the ass. Rodney had been behind many of those, but sometimes it had been a villager with a grudge or a whacked-out AI with abandonment issues. All of these things had combined to make him extremely gun shy.

Take this new lab, for instance. It was in one of the recently opened areas of Atlantis itself, but the city could tell him nothing about the room's purpose, and that worried him. Ever since the lightning strike that had enhanced his bond with the city, he had pretty much been able to avoid getting clobbered by the carelessness of the Ancients. For such an enlightened people, they had been extremely unconcerned about cleaning up after themselves and frequently left dangerous items just lying around; plus their documentation standards sucked.

Every so often though, they came across a lab that Atlantis only had minimal information about, but what they did have pointed to some kind of medical lab. That lack of information had led to where he was now. Rodney insisted on checking it out immediately, and somehow convinced Carson to come along. Maybe the Scottish doctor was bored and wanted a bit of adventure.

He had agreed to escort Carson and Rodney to check out this lab because of the unknowns and in order to escape for a bit from the wedding preparations. The wedding was in less than a month and most of the details were set, but every so often someone had a brainstorm or brain fart, depending on one's opinion of the idea which had to be dealt with. He didn't mind being asked his opinion, but some of the ideas were so ridiculous that they had plucked just about every nerve he had, and, since he couldn't shoot the offenders, he decided the best thing to do was to make himself scarce.

Behind him, Carson and Rodney argued about the merits of cats versus dogs while they waited for the database to download. Carson leaned on the console while McKay held his tablet in both hands, poking it occasionally to keep it moving. Used to the bickering from the pair, John tuned them out as he scanned the room. The room was pretty bare; the console behind him and several protrusions extending from the ceiling the entirety of the room's equipment.

As he waited on the translation, Rodney argued with Carson. "I tell you, cats are superior. They don't have to be walked, are quiet and will curl up on your lap when it's cold."

Carson shook his head. "Nay, dogs are better. A dog will greet you at the door and bark to warn you if someone strange approaches and protect you if you're being threatened."

Rodney huffed. "Yeah, if they've been trained, and if the intruder doesn't have a nice juicy steak or a bone."

Carson thumped his hand down on the console, setting off a faint hum that neither man noticed. "Ye're a daft bugger! I still say dogs are better."

Rodney tossed his tablet down. "Cats are better. When was the last time a dog caught a mouse or a cricket?"

"Yer crazy. Dogs are man's best friend. Cats are fickle - that's why they're associated with luck."

Rodney laughed and planted his hand on the console for balance. The hum rose in pitch. "If dogs are so great then why is the lion considered to be King of the Beasts?"

John noticed the hum. Each time it rose, the hair on his neck stood up straighter. He turned towards Carson and Rodney. "Hey, guys, I think the two of you need to step away from that console and we all need to leave the room, quickly."

Just as he headed to the side to chase Carson and Rodney out, there was a bright flash – everything went white. It was blinding. The pain from the flash was nothing compared to the wave of pain that followed it as his body grew hot, as if on fire. John never felt his body hit the floor; the pain consumed all conscious thought as he felt like he was melting, bones and muscles twisting and reshaping themselves. He screamed as the pain rose. When the agony finally swallowed his consciousness, he welcomed the darkness.

Rodney and Carson looked up at Sheppard just as the flash exploded. The whiteness swallowed everything except sound. The hum that neither man had noticed became pervasive, squelching all other sounds, except for one – an agonized scream, torn from a human throat. That was the last thing they heard before the darkness took them as well.

As he slowly came awake, the first thing Rodney noticed was that he was lying on the floor. The second thing that intruded was a headache. Then it sounded as if someone was pumping a bellows near his ear. Rodney turned his head and saw Carson, out cold and breathing heavily. He carefully rolled over, taking his time in order to allow his head to settle. As he got on his knees, he realized that another piece of crappy Ancient tech had messed with them. The only thing left to discover was just how badly screwed they were. Standing, he braced himself on the edge of the console and looked around. Carson lay on the floor near his feet, but there was no sign of Sheppard.

Rodney stepped away from the console to check the corridor in case Sheppard had staggered out through the door. Before he passed out, Rodney had distinctly heard a scream, one he knew all too well as it still haunted his nightmares occasionally. As he stepped around the console, his foot encountered something yielding. He looked down and saw a huddled black form on the floor. Rodney quickly stepped back around the console and nudged Carson in the ribs with his toe. "Carson! Wake up, you witch doctor! Sheppard's hurt and needs you!"

Mention of their friend being hurt and needing him roused Carson as much as the ungentle touch from Rodney's boot. He grabbed Rodney's offered hand and the pair of doctors moved around the console to check on their friend. As they stepped to his side, both men noticed that the dark mass on the floor didn't look right. As the form moved slightly, they realized why – instead of a six foot tall, spiky haired pilot, they now had a black furred, ten foot long tiger, lying tangled in the pieces of a black uniform.

Rodney and Carson looked up, matching looks of horror on their faces. "He's gonna kill us – we did it again."

Rodney looked from the tiger on the floor to the man standing beside him. "We? Where do you get this we business? I'm not the person that turned him into a dog that time, or that almost turned him into a bug."

"No, but yer hand was on that console as surely as my own was. That makes ye just as guilty." Carson shook himself and knelt at John's side. He carefully ran his hands through the thick fur, removing the uniform as he went. "Well, no broken bones and no bleeding, so I'm guessing he's unconscious from the transformation. Do we still have Dr. Tao here?"

Rodney shook his head. "No. After the incident with Sheppard as a Cairn terrier, he transferred back to the SGC. We do have a team of vets on staff now though. They go to our various trade partners, checking on the health of the animals before they are slaughtered." Rodney reached for his radio then stopped as a thought crossed his mind. "Do you want to examine him here or in the infirmary?"

"We'll have to do it here." Carson sighed. "I hate to say it, but I don't have a gurney that will hold him in his current form and I don't think the lad would appreciate us treatin' him as cargo an' using one o' the pallet jacks."

"McKay to Dr. Liang."

"Liang here, what may I do for you?" Liang was a petite Chinese woman that could intimidate anyone with just a look.

"I need you to bring your kit and come to B5, room 14. I…we have a patient for you."

"I will be right there. Liang out."

Rodney walked over and sat down against a wall where he could watch Sheppard and the door. He had to admit, the Colonel made a very handsome tiger. His coat was mostly black, with dark grey and cream stripes mixed in. It was thick, reminiscent of a Siberian tiger he had seen at the Toronto Zoo. He figured that Carson's estimate of size was correct. From nose to tail, John the tiger would be 3.35 meters long, about one meter tall at the shoulder and probably weigh in at 193 kilograms.

A noise at the door heralded the arrival of Dr. Liang. The diminutive doctor stepped in through the door, saw the tiger and stopped. "_Panthera tigris altaica negra_." The Latin flowed from the doctor's lips as she stared at the colonel.

McKay nodded. "Yes, yes. It's…He's a black Siberian tiger. Now would you please check Colonel Sheppard over so we can get out of here?"

Liang frowned. "Colonel Sheppard?" She looked at the great cat. "You are telling me that this cat is Colonel Sheppard?"

Beckett nodded. "Aye, he is, and no, this is not a joke."

With that pronouncement, Liang got to work. She peeled back his eyelids, pried open his jaws to check his tongue, gums and teeth, ran her hands over each limb, checking for breaks that Carson may have missed, and even carefully prodded his belly. She ran her hands through the thick fur picked up one of his forefeet and even pressed in on the pad to extend the claws. As she performed her exam, Carson and Rodney told her what had happened. At one point, Liang pulled out a tape measure and took body measurements. She checked his temperature, a portion of the exam that Carson was glad John slept through. When Dr. Tao had tried that the time John had been turned into a dog, it had ended badly for the doctor.

Dr. Liang sat back on her heels. "Well, the Colonel is a very healthy tiger. He will also be very grumpy when he wakes and should be fed as soon as possible. From what you have told me, he will have a headache. You can give him Codeine or Ketoprofen, depending on severity."

Carson nodded. "I have Codeine in my bag. You can give it to him when he wakes."

Liang shook her head. "I feel it would be better coming from you. He does not know me and you have his trust."

As she finished, John stirred, the claws flexing out from the plate-sized front paws. His jaws opened in a yawn, showing teeth as long as Rodney's pinky finger and a tongue long enough to wrap around his hand. As the jaws closed, John's eyes opened, displaying the human's hazel orbs instead of a tiger's normal pale green.


	3. Burning Bright

AN: Hello all! To my faithful, I must apologize. Thanks to a heads up by Kieran, I discovered that this story was not showing up in a general search. To fix it, I had to delete the first two chapters and all of your lovely comments. Thanks and virtual chocolates to sheppardlover928 for taking the time to leave a second set of reviews. Thanks to all of you that have favorite or followed this tale. Your support will help as it grows from a kitten to an adult tiger.

Also, thanks to Mysra for the awesome birthday present of artwork for this tale. She did the small version seen here and two larger scenes which will be posted on my journal on LiveJournal and on my own site (see profile for address).

Well, on with the tale :) ...

* * *

Note: this chapter contains references to **Dog Days** by kashkow.

Noise was what intruded first. There were so many different sounds and it was making his head pound worse. His sense of touch returned next as he noticed that he was lying on the floor. Other sensations intruded next – strong smells and a heaviness of his body that he had never felt before. He twitched his arms and legs, noticing that they didn't move quite right, but the sensations were familiar. A yawn escaped when he stretched in preparation to get off the floor. His jaws felt like they opened a lot wider than normal, but again the sensation felt natural.

With a bit of effort, he opened his eyes and found himself looking at a cratered surface. He frowned and moved his head back, blinking. His vision refocused to show that what he thought was a cratered surface was one of the walls to the lab. He turned his head. Three sets of eyes watched him – Rodney, Carson and Dr. Liang, one of the city's two veterinarians. Dr. Liang's presence bothered him and he wondered why she was here. That's when it hit him why some of the odd sensations felt familiar. He looked at himself to confirm his suspicion. He had been transformed again, just this time, instead of a bug (ugh) or a dog, he was a tiger.

John stood and the trio of watchers grew still. His attention focused on Carson and Rodney, he stepped forward, letting out a string of heartfelt curses which emanated as a rumbling growl from deep in his chest. Suddenly, Dr. Liang scooted forward and bowed before him. "Honored Colonel, do not be mad at them. It was an accident. Do not stain your paws with their blood, oh great one. They will change you back."

When Su Lin Liang placed herself in his path, John stopped. As she spoke, he listened to her and let his anger trickle away, although he would have to come up with a suitable revenge. Maybe he'd claw up Rodney's favorite shirts and Carson's as well or shed all over their quarters. He had time, he'd come up with something. He reached up and scrubbed his face with his hand – paw, then lay down to make himself comfortable.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0

As John woke, Carson and Rodney stayed still. Dr. Liang was so still that she could have been a statue. They watched as John's realization of his condition crossed his features. Carson had thought that, as a dog, Sheppard had been very expressive, but Sheppard the dog had nothing on Sheppard the tiger. Tail twitching, ears laid back, brows lowered and lips pulled back just a little, John focused on his two friends and growled, the deep growl expressing without a doubt his feelings on the situation.

Listening to Liang, Rodney almost burst out laughing. Sheppard's temper in these situations was always dicey and he seemed to be responding to Liang's words, although if she kept calling him 'great one' they'd probably have to deflate the Colonel's ego to get him out of the room.

A beep sounded from the console – the database was finished downloading. Rodney scrambled up and dashed over, happy to escape being mauled, to pick up his tablet and John's .45. Carson grabbed his bag and the remains of John's clothes. The chain of Sheppard's dog tags was busted so he stuffed them in his pocket. The foursome headed out the door.

As they moved back to the populated sections, Rodney said. "We need to call Lorne and Woolsey. We don't want any trigger-happy Marines trying to bag Colonel Tiger here, and Woolsey needs to know."

Carson sighed as John rumbled his agreement. "Aye, although I wouldn't tell Woolsey over the open channel." Carson reached up and tapped his radio. "Beckett to Major Lorne."

Lorne's drawl came back. _"Lorne here, what did you two do to my CO now?"_

Rodney tapped into the channel as well. "Who says we did anything?"

"_He left here in your company."_ Lorne's reply was a bit acerbic. _"That you're calling me instead of him tells me something happened."_

At that moment, John chuffed softly and said, _'That's it, give 'em hell, Lorne'. _It came out as a softgrowl that the sensitive radios picked up.

Silence followed the growl before Lorne responded_. "Unless Atlantis now has a zoo, I'd say that Colonel Sheppard just ratted the two of you out."_

"Yes, yes and no, Atlantis doesn't have a zoo. Sheppard is currently a Siberian tiger." Rodney was getting frustrated. "Can you have a squad of Marines meet us as escort at Junction C5?"

"_No, Doc."_ Lorne sounded amused. _"I'll bring them myself after I make sure none are allergic to cats. Lorne out." _

0o0o0o0o0o0o0

As Lorne got off the radio, he stepped out of the watch office and looked out across the ready room, scanning faces. "Rodriguez, Brenner, Johnston, Walker, I need the four of you." The four Marines quickly presented themselves. Corporals Brenner and Rodriguez were devoted to the Colonel as was Sergeant Johnston, while Gunny Walker had a steady head and had grown up on a farm. "Are any of you allergic to cats?"

The four were confused by Lorne's unusual question. _Cats? In Atlantis?_ They all shook their heads 'no'.

Johnston asked the question on their minds. "Sir, has something happened to the Colonel again?"

Lorne let out a deep sigh and nodded. "They found another Ancient transformation lab. The Colonel is currently a Siberian tiger."

Rodriguez whistled softly as he nudged Brenner. "Hey, Broki, did you know that the Siberian tiger is the third largest land predator, behind the Polar bear and Brown bear?"

The others, including Lorne shook their heads. Lorne smiled. "At least this time the Colonel won't have to worry about gawkers in the Gateroom." At the questioning looks from the Marines, he told them of the incident where Sheppard had been transformed into a Cairn terrier.

The Marines smiled as they imagined the Colonel then and the Colonel now. Nope, no gawkers this time.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0

John was getting impatient. Rodney and Carson had both insisted that he wait for an escort. He didn't feel it was necessary, but gave in. As they had walked back, he could feel the power and grace in the tiger body. He couldn't wait to go for a run, especially in the catwalk area. When they reached the junction, Rodney and Carson sat down to wait. John paced over and patted Carson's bag then looked at the Scottish doctor.

Carson looked at John. "Do you need somethin' lad?"

John nodded and patted the bag again, brushing a paw over his face. He distinctly remembered hearing Dr. Liang tell Carson that he could have Codeine for his headache.

Carson sighed. "I'm sorry, John. I'm no good at reading cats."

John turned to Rodney and repeated the movements.

Rodney watched John's movements. "He wants something for his headache, Carson." He turned to John. "Right?"

John nodded. He knew Rodney would understand. Man, he'd be glad when Teyla got back so she could relay for him.

Carson quickly dug out the Codeine bottle and shook two pills out in his hand. John had no intention of licking Carson's hand so he stuck his tongue out, cupping it to catch the tablets. Carson dropped the pills onto John's tongue, which was quickly withdrawn and the pills swallowed. Rodney pulled out a water bottle and uncapped it, John tilting his head back so Rodney could pour the cool water into John's mouth. After Rodney put the bottle away, John butted him softly with his nose _'Thanks_'.

Rodney laughed softly. "You're welcome." He hesitated then reached for the area between John's ears. John guessed what Rodney had in mind and allowed the touch. Rodney cautiously dug his fingers into the thick fur, reveling in the softness. As Rodney scratched, John laid down, head between him and Carson. As Rodney moved to the area behind the ears, John closed his eyes and gave a rumbling purr; the caresses were helping to ease his headache. Seeing John let Rodney touch, Carson gingerly reached out and started stroking the dark furred back.

They sat like that for several minutes until John raised his head then suddenly jumped up, spinning to face the corridor ahead. Rodney and Carson figured that they should get up as well. It was an interesting trio that met Lorne and the Marines. Sheppard was sitting in the middle of the corridor, poised and regal looking. Carson and Rodney stood to either side of the Colonel.

As they came upon the trio, Lorne and the Marines stared at the two doctors flanking the magnificent tiger. They all knew that the Colonel had been changed into a tiger. What they hadn't known was that he was a black tiger. After a heartbeat's hesitation, Lorne stepped forward to speak to his CO.

"Colonel, you ok?"

John nodded. It was at times like this that he was glad for Lorne - very little disturbed the man. John looked at Lorne then the Marines, tilting his head in an obvious question.

Lorne understood the question. His mom had cats when he was growing up. "They're here as escort so someone doesn't shoot you."

John grumbled. _'They better not'_ was understood.

Lorne nodded. "I know, but it doesn't hurt to be careful."

Rodney blinked, his jaw dropping in surprise. "You understand him?"

Lorne turned slightly to face Rodney. "You sound surprised. Did you think you were the only cat person in the city? My Mom had cats, plus I've been his XO for four years. I'd like to think I've learned a bit about how his mind works in all that time." Shifting again to include Carson in his field of vision, he asked a pertinent question. "So what did you tell Woolsey?"

"We told him that we found an interesting lab and that we needed to talk to him." Rodney was fidgeting.

Lorne calmly looked at McKay. "So Mr. Woolsey doesn't know that the two of you turned our military commander into a tiger?"

Carson shook his head. "No."

"Well, this ought to be interesting." Lorne looked at the mixed group, lips curling in a small smile. Sheppard hadn't moved. "With your permission, sir?" At Sheppard's nod, Lorne turned to his squad. "Johnston, Walker, take the front; Corporals, on our six. Let's go."

The group headed out with Lorne and Rodney walking to either side of Sheppard, Carson behind Rodney.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0

Richard Woolsey was in the conference room waiting for Colonel Sheppard and Doctors McKay and Beckett, when he started sneezing. He heard a commotion in the Gateroom and turned. Just as he faced the doors, he sneezed several more times in a row. As he wiped his nose, he looked up. Standing in between the louvered doors were four Marines, Major Lorne, Dr. Beckett, Dr. McKay and a … black tiger.

"Major, what is the … _ah, ah, achoo_… meaning of this?" Woolsey wiped his nose with a handkerchief. "Where is Colonel Sheppard and …_achoo_… why is there a cat in my conference room?"

Lorne grimaced. "That's what we need to talk about."

Woolsey motioned them to chairs. Lorne, Beckett and McKay took their usual seats. The four Marines took up station outside the louvers as the doors closed. He was surprised when the tiger hopped up and sat in Sheppard's usual chair.

"Now, would someone… _achoo_… tell me…_achoo_…where the Colonel is?"

McKay gestured at the tiger. "He's right there."

"This is a joke, right?" Woolsey looked around as if suspecting Sheppard to spring out and yell 'boo'.

"Mr. Woolsey, I assure ye that this is no joke. Both Rodney and I were present. This," and Carson pointed at John the tiger, "is Colonel Sheppard." Carson then reached over and pulled John's dog tags out of his pocket for Woolsey to see, laying them on the table in front of him. Lorne reached over and retrieved John's dog tags; removed his own and used the combined chains to fashion one long enough to fit around the Colonel's neck. The two doctors then proceeded to explain what had happened.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0

John was bored. Sitting in the conference room listening to Carson and Rodney explain to Woolsey what happened was no more fun than it had been the first time around. Thankfully, at least Lorne had needed no convincing. His head still hurt, he was hungry and he wanted to go take a nap.

Just as he was about to yawn in Woolsey's face and show off his impressive set of teeth, he heard the Gate activate.

_*"Lantis, where is that Gate from?"*_

_*"It is from MP-3455 – Proxima."*_

Proxima – that was where Teyla and Ronon had gated to a few days ago on a trading mission with Major Waters.

John was up and through the doors in a flash of black fur. Pausing behind a column, he noticed that Teyla had just stepped through the event horizon, Ronon a step behind, Waters and his team bringing up the rear._ *"Teyla!"*_

0o0o0o0o0o0o0

Teyla was glad to be heading home. Dealing with the Proximans was always trying. They were very formal when it came to trading. After their first trading mission with them, John had described them as OCD. After he had explained the term, Teyla had most definitely agreed with his assessment. The Proximans also feared anyone with the Ancient gene; they had discovered and cultivated a flower that produced pollen that the Ancients were highly allergic to, which meant that neither John nor Evan could safely go there. . Those with the gene therapy could go because the plants did not react to the artificial gene. The first time they went, John had ended up in the infirmary for a week with a severe allergic reaction. Teyla hated being separated from him for any long length of time, but at least they only had to travel to Proxima four times a year.

After she stepped through the Gate in Atlantis, Teyla paused, looking for John. Whenever they were separated, he usually tried to meet her in the Gateroom if he was in the city and not in the infirmary. She heard the splut behind her as Ronon passed through, followed a moment later by Major Waters and his team. She had just turned to hand her P90 to the armory sergeant when she heard John call her name.

_*"Teyla!"*_

She turned her head and caught sight of a black flash headed towards her. Just as she turned to meet the fast moving blur, Ronon's pistol flashed and dropped the creature in its tracks. At the same time, a shout rang out from the upper gallery.

"**Don't shoot!"**


	4. Disclosure

Hello all! I'm sorry this has taken so long to update. RL interfered then I decided to rewrite a chapter then add to another and this influenced those so this one got delayed. Once you read it, I think you'll all forgive me. Thanks to nacimynom for beta! Enjoy!

* * *

"**Don't shoot!" **

The shout rang out as the creature crumpled to the floor. Teyla looked up at the gallery to see Lorne, Carson and Rodney standing there with horrified expressions on their faces.

"Major, what is wrong? What is this creature?" The looks on their faces had Teyla worried. "Where is John?"

Lorne took a deep breath. "That is a tiger, and Colonel Sheppard is …"

Teyla missed the rest of what Lorne started to say. She glanced down at the creature that Lorne called a tiger and spotted something glinting in its fur. Moving cautiously, she knelt by the tiger and grasped the silver item. As she pulled the item from the dark fur, she realized what she was seeing. It was John's dog tags. She felt Ronon kneel beside her and she tilted the metallic rectangles so he could see them too. With John's tags in her hand, Teyla stared up at the balcony, hoping for any of the gathered crowd to contradict what she saw before her.

Seeing the question in her eyes, Rodney shook his head as she watched him move down the stairs. "It's him." He looked at Ronon. "I hope that thing was set to stun."

Ronon nodded. "Yeah, it is."

Rodney breathed a sigh of relief. "Thank god. Next time, don't be so quick to fire, Conan."

Ronon looked up at Rodney. "Next time it could be you I'm protecting. Sheppard will understand."

Lorne called for one of the cargo floaters and some blankets. Carson knelt to check on John.

"Well, the lad's alright, but I'd like to get him to the infirmary. The observation room will be the best place." The Scot was worried because he had no idea how the stun would affect the Colonel's changed physiology.

The floater arrived and several Marines were drafted into helping to shift John onto the pallet. Once he was secure, Lorne and his team formed up around the floater, with Gunny Walker taking charge of the controls. They moved out with Carson and Teyla riding on the pallet with John, Ronon and Rodney following along. Teyla, concerned over John's condition, decided to wait until after Carson examined him to find out what had occurred.

Along the way, Carson called Dr. Liang and asked her to meet them in the infirmary observation room. She was waiting when they arrived. Walker settled the floater to the floor, making sure to lock the controls for safety. Liang checked John over again and assured them that he would be fine. She gave Carson a list of human medicines that tigers could metabolize safely. Carson found a stronger painkiller on the list that John wasn't allergic to and injected it. He had given John Codeine earlier but he knew it had only taken the edge off the Colonel's headache. Carson also checked him over with the portable scanner, which gave back some interesting results.

Teyla stayed by John's head throughout the entire exam, running her hands through his thick fur. She stayed silent, waiting for the doctors to finish.

"Carson, what happened? Why is John a tiger?"

Carson and Rodney looked at each other then took turns telling the tale while Carson did their post-mission checks.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0

Waking was quite an experience. When his body didn't move quite right, John froze until memory caught up. The myriad of smells told him where he was. The combined scents of antiseptic and lemon pine-sol were enough to make his nose burn and his whiskers twitch. He felt a hand combing through his fur and recognized Teyla's scent. Using his connection to Atlantis, he thought the lights down a bit before he opened his eyes.

_*"Teyla?"*_

"Yes, John. How are you feeling?"

_*"Like I got stunned."*_

"Ronon is very sorry. Your appearance startled us and he fired in response."

He could smell the regret in Teyla's words. _*"It's alright. I'd rather get stunned than him be slow and hesitate. Hesitation could get one of us killed."*_

At that moment Carson came in. "Ach, I see yer awake, lad. How are ye feelin'?"

_*"Pins and needles with a bit of a headache and I'm really hungry."*_

Teyla relayed John's account to Carson.

"Well, lad, the tingling will wear off in a bit. I'll get ye somethin' for the headache. Dr. Liang checked you out again an' said everything is fine."

_*"Thanks, Carson."*_

While Carson was gone, Teyla told John of their trip to Proxima.

When the good doctor came back, he quickly injected the promised pain killer. "I checked you over with the portable scanner, Colonel. Your DNA is an interesting mix of tiger and human. Your ATA gene is intact and it seems that your digestive system is more human than cat, but Dr. Liang suggests, and I concur, that you stick with foods that are cat friendly. Now, off with ye and go get somethin' to eat. That's probably contributing to your headache. Dr. Liang said to feed you after you woke up the first time then things happened."

_*"Yeah. Thanks again, Doc."*_

With that John stretched and stood, and with Teyla by his side they headed for the mess hall. They met Ronon along the way and there was no question as to the big Satedan joining them. Being able to eat any time he wanted had been a big plus in his decision to stay in Atlantis.

John was glad that it was late in Atlantis' dinner time. It meant that his sharper senses weren't being assaulted by all of the smells and noise. He did stop just inside the door to sort out the myriad smells that were reaching his nose.

"John?"

Teyla's concern penetrated the cloud of smells. John shook himself and the trio strolled into the mess hall. There were not many folks around. The military personnel nodded their heads at their CO without interrupting their meals. Among the scientists, reaction was split. Some nodded while others stared. John returned the nods while ignoring the stares.

The mess hall staff had been warned of John's change and had food ready for him. Even though tigers were mainly carnivores, they would eat things other than meat. One of the staff carried the bowls to the team's usual table. A wide bench had already been placed at the table for John to use as a seat.

John looked at the contents of the dishes while Teyla and Ronon got their dinners. Rare steak was not what he would normally eat, but the tiger's instincts made him salivate at the food. There was also a bowl filled with chunks of whole grain ciabatta bread, another of mixed vegetables and a third one of water. He was famished and started eating without waiting for the others. Ronon and Teyla joined him and dug in. Ronon had questions, which John answered through Teyla. Rodney joined them when John was finishing. John cleaned his muzzle then proceeded to wash his face. After a few moments, John felt eyes on him. He stopped grooming and looked up to see Rodney watching him.

"That is fascinating. How did you know to do that, Sheppard?"

John cocked his head at him, considering the question. He shrugged, which came through even with the differences in body shape.

_*"Instinct, I guess."*_

While Teyla passed the comment along, John felt other eyes on him and turned his head. Some of the scientists from the biology department were seated a few tables away, taking notes and gesturing excitedly. Noticing that they were being observed made a few of them bold and they stood up, scanners in hand to approach their subject. Seeing this, John spun to face them, teeth bared, black tipped tail lashing in agitation. The biologists stopped, looking at each other for a moment before they decided that discretion was better than valor. They left in a hurry. John let out a soft growl and glared at the rest of the table's occupants. The table emptied quickly. The occupants of some of the other tables had stopped to observe the proceedings. John passed his green gaze over the rest of the tables and normal activities resumed.

Another of the mess staff came over with a cart. He set down a bowl after picking up the empties. John titled his head up and cocked an eyebrow.

"Sir, Sergeant Chavez spoke with Dr. Liang to find out what you could eat. She remembered how much trouble you had the last time you were changed. She modified a few recipes so you could eat normal food. This is her cat-friendly version of pineapple upside-down cake and the Sarge would like to know how she did."

_*"Dinner was great. I'm not partial to rare meat, but it was good."* _

Teyla relayed John's comments while John gave the cake a sniff. It smelled delicious. He bit into it; the flavors melted in his mouth. He didn't know how Liang and Chavez had modified the cake, but it was tasty.

"Well, I guess that answers the Sarge's question."

He stuck his muzzle back in the bowl and proceeded to clean it. The chuckle from the corporal standing at his side was echoed by his team. The corporal left for a moment and returned with a dish of milk and the rest of the cake. John lapped up some of the chilled milk, interspersing it with bites of cake until even the crumbs were gone.

The corporal chuckled again. "Anything else I can get you, sir?"

John shook his head no. The young man cleared the dishes before he headed off. John cleaned his muzzle again and waited for his team to finish eating. He lay down, shifting to a more comfortable lounging position while he waited. Rodney updated them on his progress in reversing the change.

"We can change you back. The device was another Ancient attempt at finding a shortcut to Ascension. We think they were trying to get in touch with nature by experiencing it as an animal. Normally, it seems the user would choose their desired form, activate the device and step into the emitter. This time it took the shape from my mind. It seems that Carson and I activated it during our discussion and you happened to be standing under the emitters. It does have a reverse setting. Unfortunately, there is some damage due to neglect that will take a while to repair. We also need new crystals. Several of the ones in the machine developed cracks, so Zelenka is looking through the spares. We may need to go to Praxis if we don't have them here."

_*"I'm glad. This is nice, but it does make some things a bit difficult."*_ The image he sent Teyla made her blush slightly. _*"I wonder how Torren will take this?"*_

"I do not know. Do you want to come with me, or do you want me to tell him before he sees you?"

_*"Tell him first. That way he can decide if he wants to stay with Aleeah or us."*_

Teyla ruffled the fur behind his ears before heading off to see her son. Rodney and Ronon decided to accompany John back to the family's quarters.

Along the way, John did some thinking. The grooming he had done was okay, but he really wanted a bath. The problem was that the shower in their suite was not large enough for him to get a good one in his current form.

"_I have been working on that for you, my son. I will assist in any way I can to help you change back. As to your cleanliness, I have solved that problem for you. I believe that you and your mate will like what I have done."_

_*"I'm sure we will. Thanks, Lantis."*_

0o0o0o0o0o0o0

Once they arrived on their floor, Ronon and Rodney headed to their own quarters while John proceeded to his and Teyla's. Teyla was waiting for him just inside. He could smell her excitement.

"Torren has decided to stay with us tonight." Teyla was smiling. "He is quite thrilled about this."

_*"Well, I'm just glad that he's not scared of me."*_ John chuffed as he looked up at her, tail flicking idly. _*"You know I'll be real careful with him."*_

Teyla nodded and kneeled awkwardly to be at his level. "You could not be anything but. I know that you shall not let anything untoward happen to him. Come, I have something to show you."

Teyla slowly walked deeper into their quarters, John following her. She led him to a formerly blank section of wall that now opened into the rooms on the other side. It appeared that the room was originally used as a small gymnasium. As soon as he crossed the threshold, John caught the scent of water… a lot of water. Moving ahead of Teyla, he followed the scent and found himself looking at a small pool. Faucets sprouted from one end of the pool. When he leaned over the steaming, crystal clear water, he saw submerged jets— the pool could be used as a Jacuzzi. He glanced over and saw that Teyla was undressing.

_*"Teyla? What… how…?"*_

Without pausing, Teyla answered the question she sensed he was trying to ask. "When I returned earlier, I noticed the changes. It seems that Atlantis knows how fastidious you are and decided to assist you."

_*"Ah, so this is what Lantis was referring to."*_

_*"Yes, my son. I told you I would assist you and this is well within my capabilities. The facility was already here, I merely opened the wall to allow you private access. I have also modified the exterior. The door, and its control panel, still exist, but are now hidden from all but the most determined seekers. I have also altered other facilities for your use during this time."*_

_*"Thank you, Lantis. We appreciate this."*_

John stepped into the pool. The steps leading down were deep enough for his broad paws. The water was perfect for bathing and relaxing. Once fully in the tub, John took a deep breath and submerged. After he planted his paws on the bottom of the pool, he shook himself slightly; just enough to loosen the individual strands of his fur and allow the water to flow through to his skin. He surfaced next to Teyla. She held a bottle of his favorite shampoo in her hands.

"I consulted with Dr. Liang. She said this is safe to use to bathe you."

John's chuckle came out as a soft chuff. _*"Glad to know that my favorite brand is pet-friendly."*_

After he climbed out of the pool, Teyla proceeded to liberally pour shampoo on him. He stood patiently as she lathered the shampoo into his coat. It felt so good when she dug in, her fingers working through the thick fur to reach his skin that he arched his back and unconsciously started purring.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0

Teyla was a bit startled when John's back arched, a deep rumble issuing from his chest. His eyes were closed and there was a look of contentment on his feline features. The look was matched by the feelings of bliss that she sensed from him. As she continued to scrub him, she marveled at the dense muscles she could feel through the fur. She realized that the animal John now wore the shape of must be a powerful hunter, a feeling reinforced when she saw his sharp claws. Each one was the size of her smallest finger.

After she had him completely lathered, she nudged him back into the tub. She climbed in with him and rinsed the soap from his fur, the water flow carrying the suds, dirt and loose hair out of the pool.

_*"Mmmm… god, Teyla, that felt incredible. I love it when you run your hands through my hair, but that felt so good that if I was in my own shape, you'd be in trouble."*_

Teyla smiled coyly. "Well, once Rodney returns you to your proper form, we shall have to endeavor to find a way to duplicate that sensation."

John turned to face her, reared up slightly and placed his paws on her shoulders while keeping most of his weight off her. He bowed his head at the correct angle for the Athosian greeting. She placed her hands on his back and bowed her head in response. They stayed in that pose for a few moments then John pulled back and flicked his tongue from her chin, along her jaw to her forehead several times.

She laughed at the roughness of his tongue. "John! That tickles!"

His mind voice filled with mischief, John continued licking her even as he answered her. _*"Well, I can't kiss you right now, so I get to lick you instead. I've always wanted to do this, but in my dreams, I'm licking caramel or chocolate off of you."*_

Teyla smiled coyly. "Well, after Rodney changes you back, we shall also see about making that dream come true."

John's eyes grew wide in his tiger face then he nuzzled her neck. He chuffed softly as he tickled her with his whiskers.

They romped in the pool for a bit before climbing out, the water lent her an agility that she had started to lack on land due to her pregnancy. John waited for Teyla to step out of the pool room before he shook the water out of his fur. She walked back in, wrapped in a towel and gently squeezed more of the water out of his fur. She stepped back as he activated the room's drying jets. The streams of hot air removed the water from his thick fur quicker than a stack of towels, plus it fluffed his fur.

Torren met them in the main room of the suite; Aleeah had just dropped him off. John stopped several feet away in case Torren had changed his mind, but the toddler ran over and threw his arms around John's neck.

"Da! You play with me!"

John was relieved that Torren wasn't afraid of him. Making sure to keep his claws sheathed, he batted the boy around as they wrestled. When they got tired of wrestling, John allowed Torren to climb onto his back for a few laps around the room. While they were wrestling, Teyla had taken some photos. She also took a few of Torren riding John. With a last bit of mischief, John reared up to his full height then ducked his head and shoulders. The sudden movement caused Torren to flip over his head. John neatly caught his collar in his powerful jaws and lowered the boy to the floor, Torren crowed in delight. Torren sat down on the rug and, clapped his hands as John collapsed to the floor, panting.


End file.
